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Julia Hartbeck / The Spruce Eats
At the Ashkenazi Jewish table, gefilte fish is nothing short of iconic. Served cold or at room temperature, typically accompanied by a spicy horseradish relish, gefilte fish is a celebrated appetizer for Shabbat and holiday meals.Â
The History of Gefilte Fish
Originally prepared by taking the flesh out of the fish and mixing it with onions, eggs, and spices and then stuffing the mixture back into the skin to be poached or roasted, gefilte fish is so-named because the word gefilte is Yiddish for ‘stuffed.’Â
And for an impoverished population with limited resources, gefilte fish stretched how far one small fish could go to feed an entire family, a powerful symbol of the resourcefulness of generations of Central and Eastern European cooks. Over time, the stuffing technique fell out of fashion and today, we generally only eat the stuffing.
Homemade is Better
You may be familiar with gefilte fish at the supermarket, made from flavorless fish and floating in a jar surrounded by synthetic gel. That’s the sad version I grew up with, until I started making my own and finally understood how savory and complex gefilte fish could be, a revelation! If you find the time commitment a little daunting, remember that gefilte fish can be prepared in advance and frozen, so there’s never a reason to rush or feel pressed for time.Â
How To Make Gefilte Fish
Be sure to start with filets of your favorite whitefish (flounder, sole, hake, whitefish from the Great Lakes, etc.)—don’t get caught up in what your grandmother used to use. Quality and freshness are key.Â
You’ll prepare a poaching broth with vegetables and spices and then strain out the solids. Separately, you’ll prepare the fish balls by grinding up fish, onions, and root vegetables and forming patties. Finally, the fish balls are poached in the broth and then set aside to be chilled before serving.Â
Making a Fish Stock
Many recipes you’ll encounter (including this one) will add fish heads and bones to the poaching broth so that when the broth is cooled, it will naturally gel. It adds a lot of extra flavor, too. If you’re the kind of person who loves an aspic, ask your fishmonger for some leftover carcasses to add to your broth.Â
You may also find that you’d like a less sweet gefilte fish, in which case you can decrease the sugar by a teaspoon. While sweet fish isn’t typical in the North American context, it’s common in Ashkenazi cuisine.Â
Serving Gefilte Fish
Keep in mind that gefilte fish is served at the start of the meal. It’s an ideal dish to open the palate before serving a roast chicken or brisket as the main course.
Tips For Making Gefilte Fish
- Taste the fish mixture for seasoning—You should never taste the raw fish and egg mixture for flavor, but there is a way to taste and adjust the seasonings. Fry a tablespoon or so of the fish mixture in a teaspoon or two of oil. Taste the cooked mixture for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
- Let it sit if you have time—Allowing the fish mixture to sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours before shaping and cooking will make the mixture easier to form. It will also allow the flavors to meld.
- Use wet hands to shape the patties—If the fish mixture sticks to your hands during shaping, very lightly wet your hands with cold water.
- Season the broth and the fish—For the best tasting gefilte fish, taste both the fish mixture and the broth the fish will be poached in and season accordingly. The broth should have a pleasant flavor on its own.
"The gefilte fish recipe was a quick and easy preparation using a food processor, and the patties held together nicely in the poaching broth. I recommend following the tips and frying a small piece of the fish mixture to taste for seasonings before you shape them." —Diana Rattray
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Ingredients
For the Broth:
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Assorted fish heads, bones, skin, optional but recommended
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3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
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2 medium onions, quartered, (leave skin on one onion if you like a darker hued gefilte fish)
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1 bay leaf
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2 teaspoons granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
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1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
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8 cups water
For the Fish:
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1 small onion, coarsely chopped
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1 pound fresh whitefish fillets, cut into chunks
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1 large egg
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1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
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1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
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2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil
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2 teaspoons granulated sugar, more to taste
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1/4 cup matzo meal or bread crumbs (substitute gluten-free as needed)
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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Make the broth: Place the fish heads, bones, and skin, if using, 3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped, 2 medium onions, quartered, 1 medium bay leaf, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, and 8 cups water in a stock pot fitted with a lid and bring to a boil.
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Cover and reduce to simmer on medium-low for about 1 hour. Note that if using fish skins, heads, etc. your house will most definitely have a fishy odor. Open windows and run fans as needed.Â
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Strain out and discard the solids and return the broth to the pot.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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While the broth cooks, make the fish patties: Grate 1 small onion on the small holes of a box grater and add to a food processor with any juices.Â
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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To the food processor add 1 pound fresh whitefish filets, cut into chunks, 1 large egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, more to taste, and 1/4 cup matzo meal or bread crumbs and process, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed until a soft paste forms.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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With wet hands, form the mixture into 12 equal sized football-shaped patties (each should be between a walnut and a golf ball in size).
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Lower the patties gently into the simmering broth with a slotted spoon.
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Cover the pot and simmer gently until the fish has expanded and is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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Remove patties from the broth with a slotted spoon, let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill before serving, about 2 hours total. If you used fish heads and bones for the broth, let patties come to room temperature in the broth so the broth gels with the fish, then chill.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
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Serve gefilte fish chilled or at room temperature before the start of the meal with a side of prepared horseradish. In many households, gefilte fish patties are served on a bed of lettuce for color and a bit of crunch.Â
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
How to Store
- Refrigerate the gefilte fish in an airtight container within 2 hours and consume within 3 days.
- To freeze, wrap individual fish balls in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. Defrost them in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
- Gefilte fish is usually served cold or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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99 | Calories |
5g | Fat |
5g | Carbs |
8g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 12 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 99 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 5g | 6% |
Saturated Fat 1g | 3% |
Cholesterol 37mg | 12% |
Sodium 182mg | 8% |
Total Carbohydrate 5g | 2% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 8g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
Calcium 14mg | 1% |
Iron 0mg | 2% |
Potassium 134mg | 3% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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